Ireland all-rounder Curtis Campher made a spectacular debut for Essex by scoring an unbeaten 123 runs off just 68 balls in the One-Day Cup. This remarkable innings, which included 12 fours and 6 sixes, was instrumental in Essex's record-breaking total of 417-6 against Surrey at Chelmsford. The team went on to win by a massive margin of 244 runs, marking one of the most dominant performances in the tournament's history.

Campher, who was recently signed by Essex on a short-term deal, expressed his delight at making an immediate impact. "It was really nice to get the ball rolling with that. You're always a bit nervous when you come into a new side and you want to make an impact, but thankfully I was able to do that," he said.

The 26-year-old, who has represented Ireland in 111 international matches across all formats, also highlighted the importance of this opportunity for his preparation for the 2027 ODI World Cup. "I wanted to play some one-day cricket because of the ODI World Cup in 2027 with the qualifiers coming up. I wanted to get as much long-form white-ball cricket in as possible from now until then," Campher added.

Joining Essex was a whirlwind experience for Campher, who had to juggle his commitments with domestic cricket in Ireland. "I played a game for Munster Reds on Wednesday, drove back to Dublin from Cork and got to bed at 11[pm], and got on to a plane at 8am yesterday [Thursday] morning to go get the medical done and the deal signed," he recounted.

Another standout performer for Essex was 19-year-old pace bowler Charlie Bennett, who took 5-36 in the match. Bennett, playing only his fifth senior game for the county, was thrilled with his performance. "It feels amazing. A lot of hard work has gone into it," he told BBC Essex Sport.

With such strong performances from both seasoned players and young talents, Essex is poised to make a significant impact in the ongoing One-Day Cup. The team's next match is eagerly anticipated, as they aim to continue their winning streak and secure a spot in the knockout stages.

For more updates on Essex's journey in the One-Day Cup and Curtis Campher's performances, stay tuned to our sports coverage.